Description
Peace Work is volume seven of Spike Milligan's outrageous, hilarious, legendary War Memoirs.
'I had not informed my parents of my return, I wanted it to be a lovely surprise; it was, for me, they were away ...'
The seventh and last volume of Spike Milligan's memoirs sees our hero returning from war and Italy ... but to what? Aside from shooting large, inaccurate guns at Germans, all he has done for five long years is blow a trumpet, tell rude jokes and write and perform sketches for the entertainment of bored and murderous soldiers - who on earth is going to pay a civilian to do more of that? From the giddy heights of Hackney Empire to a Zurich Freak Show and beyond, Spike makes his way through the backwaters of showbiz, first as band musician then as one-man wild-act and eventually in the company of a group of like-minded comedians called Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine and Peter Sellers. They decide to call themselves The Goons...
'Desperately funny, vivid, vulgar' Sunday Times
'Milligan is the Great God to all of us' John Cleese
'The Godfather of Alternative Comedy' Eddie Izzard
'That absolutely glorious way of looking at things differently. A great man' Stephen Fry
Spike Milligan was one of the greatest and most influential comedians of the twentieth century. Born in India in 1918, he served in the Royal Artillery during WWII in North Africa and Italy. At the end of the war, he forged a career as a jazz musician, sketch-show writer and performer, before joining forces with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe to form the legendary Goon Show. Until his death in 2002, he had success as on stage and screen and as the author of over eighty books of fiction, memoir, poetry, plays, cartoons and children's stories.
About the Author
Spike Milligan was one of the greatest and most influential comedians of the twentieth century. Born in India in 1918, he served in the Royal Artillery during WWII in North Africa and Italy. At the end of the war, he forged a career as a jazz musician, sketch-show writer and performer, before joining forces with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe to form the legendary Goon Show. Until his death in 2002, he had success as on stage and screen and as the author of over eighty books of fiction, memoir, poetry, plays, cartoons and children's stories.
Reviews
The most irreverent, hilarious book about the war that I have ever read * Sunday Express *
Brilliant verbal pyrotechnics ... throwaway lines and marvelous anecdotes * Daily Mail *
Desperately funny, vivid, vulgar * Sunday Times *
Close in stature to Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear in his command of the profound art of nonsense * Guardian *
Milligan is the Great God to all of us -- John Cleese
The Godfather of Alternative Comedy -- Eddie Izzard
That absolutely glorious way of looking at things differently. A great man -- Stephen Fry
Manifestly a genius, a comic surrealist genius and had no equal -- Terry Wogan
A totally original comedy writer -- Michael Palin
Book Information
ISBN 9780241958155
Author Spike Milligan
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Series Spike Milligan War Memoirs
Weight(grams) 170g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 15mm
